I think its important to balance this with Elon's failures to influence British politics.
He is widely loathed.
The only British political movement to be willing to take his money is the extremist, but also marginal, EDL (the organisation lead by Tommy Robinson).
He offered a huge donation to Reform but this was turned down because he made it a condition of the donation that Tommy Robinson was allowed to join Reform. This leaves him with no party capable of winning even a single seat in parliament being willing to take his money.
I do not doubt that Musk is trying to use X to influence British politics. I do doubt he is having much success.
Surely he can influence British politics, just indirectly. His purchase of Twitter continues to pay dividends, he can tweak the algorithm to emphasize whatever he wants without attaching his name to it directly.
The article is titled "How Elon Musk is boosting the British Right". For "some" reason Sky is self-censoring their title, but not for Twitter, weirdly enough.
<title>HOW ELON MUSK IS BOOSTING THE BRITISH RIGHT</title>
<meta name="twitter:title" content="HOW ELON MUSK IS BOOSTING THE BRITISH RIGHT ">
<meta property="og:title" content="How the world's richest man is boosting the British right">
Musk is well off target. His recent reference to "hobbits" in the shires being unwary missed the fact that that demographic more or less defines the membership of Reform, and they exhibit a wild fear of foreigners.
The incumbent British parties are free to fix the economy, build housing, stop foreign wars and make energy cheaper. They don't want to.
The problem is, neither does Musk. We know now that the above talking points of the U.S. Republicans were just election rhetoric. What we got is an oligarchy that takes foreign bribes and gives government money to friends and family.
Musk just got his NASA candidate Isaacman nominated. Isaacman of course is a billionaire, just like Trump, Musk, Lutnick, Ramaswamy, Kushner, Witkoff and others. Isaacman will direct state money towards SpaxeX just like Kushner and Witkoff will benefit from their Gaza "master plan" (wording accidentally leaked by Witkoff in an interview to the dismay of Kushner).
The problem that Labour parties in the EU have sold out since Blair/Schroeder cannot be fixed easily. Musk however is not the solution.
graemep|3 months ago
He is widely loathed.
The only British political movement to be willing to take his money is the extremist, but also marginal, EDL (the organisation lead by Tommy Robinson).
He offered a huge donation to Reform but this was turned down because he made it a condition of the donation that Tommy Robinson was allowed to join Reform. This leaves him with no party capable of winning even a single seat in parliament being willing to take his money.
I do not doubt that Musk is trying to use X to influence British politics. I do doubt he is having much success.
afavour|3 months ago
stevesimmons|3 months ago
Plus who in UK would buy a Tesla now? Other than because it was discounted.
rhetocj23|3 months ago
sippeangelo|3 months ago
beardyw|3 months ago
Yeul|3 months ago
I'm not really worried for my own country though. Nobody here ever pointed to the US and said "I want that".
unknown|3 months ago
[deleted]
ktr1827k|3 months ago
The problem is, neither does Musk. We know now that the above talking points of the U.S. Republicans were just election rhetoric. What we got is an oligarchy that takes foreign bribes and gives government money to friends and family.
Musk just got his NASA candidate Isaacman nominated. Isaacman of course is a billionaire, just like Trump, Musk, Lutnick, Ramaswamy, Kushner, Witkoff and others. Isaacman will direct state money towards SpaxeX just like Kushner and Witkoff will benefit from their Gaza "master plan" (wording accidentally leaked by Witkoff in an interview to the dismay of Kushner).
The problem that Labour parties in the EU have sold out since Blair/Schroeder cannot be fixed easily. Musk however is not the solution.
rhetocj23|3 months ago